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at CCMA, including camping, hiking, and OHV recreation. The Region 9 investigation
team collected air filter samples for these activities in September and November 2004 and
February and September 2005.
The OHMVR Division Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program (Grants Program)
awarded BLM nearly $7,000,000 for CCMA infrastructure and maintenance specific to
OHV-related recreation. Since the potential loss of OHV-related investments at CCMA
was warranted, the OHMVR Division asked BLM for access to CCMA to conduct an OHVfocused
risk assessment study.
The OHMVR Division hired a consultant to initiate the study in April 2010. The consultant
directed motorcycle trail riders outfitted with air filtration sampling equipment to traverse the
same CCMA trails used for the Region 9 study. Then, the consultant collected filter samples
and determined health risk of NOA exposure using the same risk assessment methodology
Region 9 used in its study. The completed report, produced in April 2011, concluded
the NOA risk was miniscule and well below the threshold of concern used by BLM and
Region 9.
The CCMA closure ended in March 2014 when BLM finalized its update to the area’s
Resource Management Plan (RMP). The updated RMP incorporated Region 9 risk
assessment calculations as a means to evaluate NOA exposure to potential CCMA
recreationists under different visitation and activity scenarios—also known as management
alternatives. Under the preferred and implemented management alternative specified in the
RMP, visitation to CCMA is allowed year-round but is limited to a total of five days per year.
Permissible activities include “non-motorized activities” (e.g., hiking, rock hounding, and
horseback riding), the non-hunting discharge of firearms, and the driving of highway-licensed
vehicles into or through the ACEC. Driving of highway-licensed vehicles would primarily be
on Clear Creek Road at the west end of the ACEC. Camping is prohibited though camping
at the Jade Mill campground, which is adjacent to the western perimeter of the ACEC, is
allowed. All OHV recreation within the ACEC is prohibited—trail riding is not allowed. A
CCMA ACEC access permit is required for any individual entering the ACEC. The permit is
free and is obtained via the website www.recreation.gov. A $5 vehicle use permit is required
for all vehicles entering CCMA and can be obtained from the same website.
Due to the findings of the 2011 study, BLM included in the CCMA RMP a stipulation for
adaptive management regarding restrictions associated with NOA in the ACEC. The CCMA
RMP states “BLM would reinitiate travel management planning in the … ACEC to modify
transportation and travel management decisions adopted in this RMP” based on “adaptive
management criteria“ including “activity based studies that establish effective strategies
for reduction in personal exposure to asbestos from off-highway vehicle recreation.” It is
for this reason that the OHMVR Division asked the consultant to broaden its initial risk
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